| Author |
Message |
Jim & Linda Callaghan (Jimc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:43 pm: | |
Hi all,
On my 4106 the dash generator light lights up when house generator is started. It just started to do this, and it is bugging me that the only way to drive with air conditioning working is with that big reg light staring me in the face.
I have an automatic transfer switch, and I have a feeling that somthing has malfunctioned within it, but the auto switch seems to be working like always. I tried running the 8/71 with the bus plugged into 120V and it does not light up under those conditions.
I am electrically challenged, so if anyone has an idea, please keep in in very simple layman terms.
Thanks in advance
Jim Callaghan 4106 |
Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 7:31 pm: | |
Could be a bad ground...somewhere, maybe in the TS |
WEC4104
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 7:45 pm: | |
It is of course tough to say exactly what the problem is without knowing how your particular electrical systems are configured.
I'll take a stab, and speculate that you have the typical set-up with 2 separate battery systems ("Coach" batteries for engine, headlights, and starting; and "House" battery for boondocking RV systems)
When the generator is running, it of course produces the AC power. I doubt the AC side of your circuits are causing the generator light to come on. However, your generator can also produce DC power. If you have your generator's AC power feeds an AC/DC converter, the converter provides DC power. There is some chance that that is where your circuit problem lies.
However, I am suspecting one other area. Many generators use the Coach battery to start the generator engine. The generator also has a connection to the coach battery to recharge it (returning the power it "borrowed"). To me, that seems like the most logical place where the two systems merge.
I would probably start by disconnecting the generator's recharge connection and see if the problem goes away. If it goes away then you can start looking for the specific problem. |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 8:28 pm: | |
hmmmm
"-generator light lights up when house generator is started "
(genset DC charging circuit for charging the battery(s) )
"-with the bus plugged into 120V and it does not light up "
(110v to 12v converter (or charger) is charging battery(s) )
"-the auto [transfer] switch seems to be working like always "
(the transfer switch controls the 120v battery charger)
It sure sounds like Mr. WEC4104 hit it right, ehh?
The DC charging circuit on the genset is putting out enough
voltage to cause the bus generator to turn off. If you have a
battery isolator, it could have gone defective..?
Try turning on all DC lights, etc and see if the bus generator
light goes out (indicating it's working). If so, it will prove
where your problem is.
The genset charger won't handle much more than it's own
starting battery, but would be enough (with fully charged batteries)
to turn off the bus system. |
WEC4104
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 11:51 pm: | |
I'd also like to add, there are possibly two ways that your genset feeds power back to the coach battery(s).
1) Some generators produce the DC voltage by themselves and send the power back to the battery using the same cable that they use to derive the starting juice. Kinda like a normal car system. In this case, your AC transfer box doesn't even enter into the equation.
2) The other possibility involves a two step process. The generator first produces AC power, and then a separate AC/DC converter has to make DC power to send back to the battery(s). Your AC transfer box is one part of this circuit.
If you can figure out which arrangement you have, you can hopefully disconnect the charging circuit temporarily to see if the indicator light goes out. If it does you have confirmed the path of the problem and can chase down the specific component.
John MC9 also had a great suggestion when he mentioned battery isolators. There are different style of isolators and ways of wiring them in. If you have one, that would another good place to test. |
Jeff (Jeff)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 8:32 pm: | |
Do you also have an inverter? On my bus, I have a 7.5kW Onan generator. I also have a Trace 4024 MC inverter with a transfer switch. When I run the A/C off the buses alternator using the inverter, no problem. If I run the generator and the inverter is not shut down, The generator activates the inverter and it tries to charge the batteries. I think the alternator sees the power coming in from the generator / inverter to the batteries and it causes the Generator Stop Light on the dash to light up. What did I do to correct it? I got a battery isolator switch from Boater’s World. I mounted it between the inverter cable and the batteries. When I plan on running the 110v system off the generator while driving, I turn off the power to the inverter. If I use the bus alternator to run the 110v, I allow power to the inverter from my 24v system. It works for me. |
Jim & Linda Callaghan (Jimc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 11:45 pm: | |
Thanks everyone for the responses, I think a couple of you have hit on the problem. I havn't had a chance to check it out yet, but it makes sense that it is due to the inverter / charger being on while running the generator.
I replaced the old Trace Inverter with a Freedom unit and now that you guys mentioned it,I did not have the the problem with the old unit, I'm guessing that the old one had somthing built in that did not permit it to feedback.
I will let you know what happens when I get a chance to test it out.
Thanks again,
Jim Callaghan 4106
Wisconsin |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 12:25 am: | |
Let us know the final outcome, willya'? |
Chris 85 RTS
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 3:07 pm: | |
I have this same problem and it is the inverter trying to charge the batteries at the same time as the coach alternator. I only have one set of batteries. |
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